Entwined With The Girl On Fire
by ReishaTerrin
Summary: AU. When Clove falls victim to the feelings Career's are never to have. She finds herself drawn to the girl from district 12. Katniss Everdeen. They soon realize their feelings for each other are not what they or anyone expected. This is a story about the development between Clove and Katniss. Showing how even during a brutal fight to the death, love can blossom between two people.
1. Prologue: Voices

**I do not own The Hunger games or any of the characters. All rights belong to Suzanne Collins. I thank my friend Sam, for she help's me in my writing. **

_**A/N Woo-hoo! Here I am with another fanfiction! This time The Hunger Games! I hope you enjoy it! **_

_**Note- Sorry for any grammatical errors.**_

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_**"Clove!" **_I jerked awake at the sound of my name, only to find myself in a field of green and staring up at a clear blue sky. When my vision clears, I see that the entire field is filled with nothing but clovers. Pretty ironic considering that my own name is Clove. Reaching out at random, I plucked one out of the ground and smiled as I counted the four leaves.

'_Four Leaf Clover's are considered lucky' _I think to myself, and I can't help but laugh. I stare at the clover between my fingers when something warm brushes against my cheek.

The sudden motion startles me and I gasp.

Looking around, I realize that I wasn't alone in this beautiful field, my head was resting in someone's lap. I try to look up too see who it is, but their face is completely hidden by the shadow created by the sun, which glares out from behind their head. The only things I can make out are their smile as they look down at me, their olive skin tone, and their black hair, which is tied into one long braid. I'm pretty much at their mercy, but I'm not afraid or even the slightest bit panicked. Their mouth starts moving as if they're saying something to me, but I can't hear their voice. I laugh at whatever it is though and they're smile fills me with a sense of ease. As they brush my cheek again, I whisper something up to them and I find myself blushing, even though I have no idea what I said. And even though I still couldn't see anything but their smile, I just knew that they were blushing too. And then their expression suddenly turns into one of anguish as a heavy weight suddenly presses down on my chest.

_**"Get up Clove." **_I can hear their voice now; it's softer than anything I've ever heard, but it sounds like they're sad. I look up at them in confusion as the pressure on my chest increases to where I almost can't bear it. I close my eyes trying to block out the pain, but my ribcage feels like it's going to cave in.

_**"Clove!" **_someone else screams from somewhere further off, making me snap my eyes open again.

I'm back home in District 2, and the once clear sky is now gray and clouded. The warmth and ease I'd felt is gone and I'm alone and cold.

Little white flakes drift down from above, turning into water as soon as it touches any surface all around me. I'd heard about snow before, but this was the first time I'd ever seen it in real life. Curious, I reached my hand out to catch a snowflake and it melts as soon as it touches down in my palm. It's warm, not cold like I expected.

"_**Clove!" **_the voice yells again, but whoever it is sounds like they're in pain. The voice doesn't sound familiar, but I'm up and running towards it as ridiculous as that sounds. They yell my name again as I run after the source, but I never seem to get any closer. Each time, it takes a little longer before they call me again, and each time there's a sense of panic that whoever it is, won't be able to call out again. The air starts growing colder and the sky blackens even more than I thought possible as I keep running. With no warning, it starts to rain, the water cutting through my skin like ice, the air grows so cold it feels like it's freezing my lungs to where I can barely breathe. _**"Clove, please!" **_the voice cries again, no closer than before. I don't know when it happened, but I'm no longer in my district. Instead I'm surrounded by trees that seem to grow closer to one another the further I run. The voice comes again, but it's fainter and I can only make out a sob as their plea gets lost in the distance.

"Where are you?" I call out desperately, looking around hopelessly. I wince as a sharp pain stabs into my neck, but I can't find any wound when I look.

"_**Clove!" **_the voice is closer now, but my lungs are starting to burn, my legs feel like a lead weight and I'm long past my running limit. Stopping isn't an option though, whoever it is needs me, and something tells me that I can't afford to stop.

"_Run! Move! Faster, come on faster! Left, right, careful! You have to duck-" _shouts another voice. I can't even try to follow their frantic commands before I run face-first into a branch, trip across some exposed tree roots and find myself in a muddy pool.

"_Get! Up!" _the second voice snarls.

"_**Please! Don't leave me! Clove!" **_the first voice is back, they sound so close that I almost swear they were next to me.

"I'm here!" I try to say, but my voice is gone and I can't move. I manage to get my face out of the mud and see their figure. They're digging and piling the dirt into a large pile next to them. When they move aside, I can see the deep rectangle-shaped hole.

I watch their digging, and it's revealed that its a grave.

"_**Please Clove! Get up!" **_the first voice is clearly sobbing now, and just hearing their sobs makes my eyes well up. I want to reach out and touch them, but I can't because I find that I'm somehow in the hole;

That's when a cold realization hit me…

It's a grave…

It's my grave and whoever it is, they're crying over it.

"Get up!" both voices scream, blending together weirdly as darkness closes in on me, the opened hole above me starts closing slowly, and before the last of the light was gone, the voices had warped into one that was familiar but I couldn't quite place it.

But they yell.

Yelling at me to get up. And finally I scream.

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_**Just an update. See ya soon!**_


	2. The Reaping and Volunteering

**I do not own The Hunger games or any of the characters. All rights belong to Suzanne Collins. I thank my friend Sam, as she helps me greatly in my writeing. **

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"Get up!" A voice shouts above me. "Get up now! You cannot afford to be weak! Clove! You're wasting my time!" Shouts Mesh, one of my personal trainers. I'd knew it was her because of her voice, after all, I'd been forced to endure the horrible screech of it for as long as I could remember. "Get up you useless lazy-"

"I'm up!" I groaned. In District 2 they train us to be Peacekeepers, but you don't need to act like one until you're given an official uniform. Mesh isn't a Peacekeeper, but she acts as though she's someone of high stature, so she acts like a one. Whenever she talks, she's usually shouting.

"Get up!" She screeches. The pitch of her voice rings so high that it actually hurts and I groaned again. When I open my eyes, I'm immediately blinded by the glare of the sun. I'm blinking away the spots that flash behind my eyes when someone's head comes in to my line of sight. I don't need to wait for everything to focus to know who it is.

Cato my fellow tribute, and training partner.

A smug smiles plastered onto his face. Before he has a chance to insult me, like he usually does, I use the force of my hands and arms to I push myself off the ground, and I flip back onto my feet. It's then I remember that he and I are in the middle of hand-to-hand sparring. One my least favorite exercise. I touch the side of my head and hiss from the sting of pain im presented with when I do. Vaguely, I remember that Cato had swung his right hand at me, and I was too slow to duck. It must of connected, which explains the pain. Even though we're not supposed to make any physical contact to the head during sparring, Mesh had apparently decided to over look it. It doesn't bother me though, even I play dirty from time to time. We weren't exactly sticklers for the rules, since Careers like Cato and I technically aren't allowed to exist. It's unfair to the other Districts.

I hope that there isn't any damage to my head. It would be hard to explain later.

When I finally decide to turn around, I'm forced into a defensive stance as I faced Cato. He stands almost a foot above me, reminding me of why I hate hand-to-hand combat so much. I'm considered small by any standards, and next to Cato I probably look like a child; but Mesh, and some of our other trainers, have decided that I could learn to use people's height and weight advantages against them.

But why should I do any of that if I can just nail them between the eyes with a good knife?

Cato of course has spent this entire time having a good laugh at my attempts, especially when he'd flipped me onto the ground when I tried doing it to him.

This time, I gave him no warning when I attacked and we go though the motions of the training we do everyday. There's only rule when Careers train: Don't kill or do permanent damage to each other until the games. So when I decided against going for his head, I kicked him square in the chest, heel first, but it's like kicking a statue and he barely moves or reacts to it. When he reached for my leg, I went for his arm like they'd told me too, but all too soon I still ended up on my back, with Cato leering over me with a smug smile on his face. It would have worked if it'd been anyone but Cato, but he wasn't just brutishly strong and big, he actually had some what of a brain and reacted faster than his size would lead you to expect.

Mesh snarls whenever I make contact with the ground, she has us repeating the motions over and over again, but nothing changes. By the seventh attempt, my back is surely bruised and my muscles ache. I've gone through every trick I could think of, and just when I thought it was useless, I managed to corner him by getting him to pull too much force into a swing.

I had finally got a solid hold and flipped him.

My triumph dies before I can enjoy it though. Cato grabs my leg and violently slams me into the ground. He then rolled with the flip and ended back on his feet. The force of the slam has left me breathless. And as I gasped for breath, Cato adds insult to injury by straddling my waist, and pinning my hands at my sides with his bulky palms.

"Get off me Cato!" I snarled, struggling against his weight; it felt like he was going to crush my waist flat.

"Really Clove, if you wanted so bad to be writhing underneath me..." he chuckles, clasping my hands to my sides with his knees, "you could always just come to my room at night."

I spat at him, my aim proving still good as it hit him square in the eye, stopping him as he reached out to touch me. "You wouldn't be half as smug if I had a knife." I hissed. Wiping his face, he gave me his smug look again and rolled his eyes.

"But you don't, and I win again." He grins and I can do nothing but scowl.

"He's absolute correct, what are you going to do when there isn't a knife for you to use?" Asks Mesh, glaring down at me from another angle. She's decidedly old, I'd guess in her late fifties, and everyone knew she was one of the best trainers in the District, but I hated her. I mean, really, who names someone Mesh?

"As if they're isn't going to be one in the games." I snapped. I've seen the broadcasts, there's always knives. "I'll find one." I say and she snorts. I hate her, she acts like she understands me, but she doesn't; no one does.

She was a Peacekeeper trainer, nothing more. She has no idea what my life is like. I'm a Career tribute, actually I'm THE female tribute for District 2. Ever since I was born I've trained for the Hunger Games, and for all 15 years it's all I've lived for. When I was 10, I became a chosen tribute because I was stronger than most of the girls at school. I surpassed those who were bigger and stronger than me in any area. And my skills at throwing knives were recognized. I don't have to work in the quarries or in some factory like the other girls who I've trained with have to, but having my life constantly supervised and followed by trainers is far from anything pleasant. Either way, Mesh is nothing. Nothing like my mentor.

She keeps going on about the; "unpredictability of the games." and "being ready for everything." like she'd actually been in them, but she's only watched them like everyone else. Right now, I would have liked nothing more than to lodge a knife right into her arrogant throat, but today was the Reaping, and it would be really hard to explain her death.

I give a pained grunt, and try to pull my hands free from Cato's grip. He's holding on so tightly, I'm sure my their are going to be bruises. "Get off me Cato, so I can find a knife and cut you!" I screech, he keeps smirking, and part of me wondered who else was watching.

"You won't always have a knife, Clove." Cato tells me, he's wrong though, I always a knife on me. Well, except for today.

"Wanna bet?" I argue, he shifts so that he's sitting on my stomach, making breathing a difficult task.

"What if there isn't." Says Mesh. It comes out as and statement instead of a question. "What if their isn't a knife? You'll be helpless Clove, you rely too much on it."

"That's stupid," I huffed, "if I can't use a knife, I'll use an axe, if I can't use an axe, I'll use a sword. What does it matter?" Its doesn't matter, except for the fact I just like knives better. And are they really, for the first time since the Hunger Games began, not going to have knives? I grunt painfully, struggling once more against Cato. "I said, get off!"

"That's not the point, you may one day be without a knife Clove, or any weapon. How do you plan to survive then?" Mesh retorts, sighing like I''ve disappointed her greatly. I scoffed, and when she kneels down beside me she whispers. "This is the Hunger Games, and despite the name, it's not a game! You and Cato are the best of our District, and only one of you is going to come home, unless you screw it up! Your life right now… is in his hands and you have no knives, no weapon to help you. They're not going to hold back Clove, there's no rule about not killing in the arena, that's what you're supposed to do. The other tributes, if there are any left by the time it come's down to you and the strongest, they wont come to your rescue. You're a small girl Clove, but you can use his weight against him if you try." She encouraged. I grunted in response.

The only thing that she was encouraging me to do was cut her mouth straight off. None of this mattered, she'd been happy enough barely acknowledging me all year. And now that it was Reaping Day, she suddenly wanted to develop my skills. None of it mattered though, it wasn't my year yet because District 2 trained tributes until they were 18. And when I do go, I don't know where the hell she has it in that tiny little head of hers that anything she's taught me would ever be repaid.

She wasn't even a victor, not like Enobaria, my mentor, whose lessons would give me all that I needed to know to win the games.

"Let her up Cato." Speaking of mentors. Enobaria always seemed to know where I was when she needed me. Cato got off quickly and offered me a hand. "What. Is. This?" Enobaria snarled, I could see the anger reflected in my mentors eyes, and it was clear by the tone of her voice that she was unpleased.

"I'm training them, these are my hours as they are everyday Enobaria." Mesh snapped back, not at all humbled at being in the presence of the victor. Enobaria took a step towards the elderly woman, her eyes narrowing and her lips curling back over her fangs. Even though I stood at attention, I couldn't help the surge of excitement that I felt every time I saw her golden-tipped fangs. Enobaria was the victor of the 62nd Hunger Games, and like most of our tributes, a volunteer. During her games, she'd been ruthless, powerful, and outright vicious, going so far as to kill a tribute by ripping their throat out with her teeth when she had no other means. She was my mentor for the games, officially decided five years ago, and even more than that she was my idol. And as much as I admired her, she was still a scary woman and anyone who had the gall to stand up to her, was either very stupid, or they were counting on the Capitol's no-exceptions punishment to deter anyone from interrupting today's peace. I was anxious, I wanted her to silence the worthless trainer, but at the same time I didn't because I couldn't bear the thought of losing my mentor now.

"I thought you were smarter then this Mesh." Enobaria said, her tone barely hiding her anger.

"You don't like my methods?"

"We don't train our Careers, not today. You know that." Originally, we're not supposed to train at all. But the Capitol pretends to notice as long as our District makes it easy to be over looked. Today District 2 will be swarming with Peacekeeper and it will hard to over look if were caught. Mesh has messed up in Enobaria eyes. "You better hope your exercise went unnoticed, or you'll be the first taste of human flesh I've had in a long time." she threatens and I shiver with anticipation. "Come Clove." She calls when forcibly brushes past Mesh.

"Coming…" I say, and I'm instantly behind her. The respect I have for Enobaria runs deep. I counted myself lucky that I had her as my mentor. She could have chosen any other Career to train personally, and she'd picked me. Not only did that make me the envy of every other Career, it meant she paid direct attention to me, and I just loved it. I love the jealous stares of the other tributes when I am giving the attention they want but will never receive. It makes me on a level feel accepted.

I followed Enobaria to her house in the Victor's Village, a section of the District sets aside for victors of the Hunger Games. Only 3 houses are claimed in District 2 and Enobaria's house can be seen easily with its fang-themed decorations. Looking around as I followed my mentor, I feet a little jealous of the houses in this special area; the worst house here was better than any house where non-victors lived. That doesn't go to say that the house I shared with my father was crap, just that I'd rather have a Victor's house any day. I already had one picked out: the plain house next to Enobaria's. Every time I saw it, I dreamed of the day that I would win my Games and move in, next to my mentor. I daydreamed a little longer than I intended though as I realized how close we were to her house. I cursed and I hurried ahead to take my place.

Years of training under Enobaria have taught me how to respond whenever I'm with her in the Victors Area. As routine, I hurry ahead of her and open the door with a spare key she's entrusted with me, then I hold the door for her until she made her way in, during which I wouldn't make a sound until she's acknowledged me. That was a discipline she wanted me to follow and I gladly did it for her. I was afraid I'd slipped up today with my slow reaction. But she seemed not to notice as she walked in, and even gave me a small nod, much to my relief. My mistake was that I returned a grin before I could stop myself. We weren't supposed to show that kind of emotion, but I'd done it without thinking. I stopped immediately, but Enobaria noticed and frowned her disapproval when she stepped inside.

I would have followed her inside, but I knew she was displeased, so I stood at the door waiting for her to either call me in or dismiss me, silently kicking myself for my show of weakness.

"Come in Clove." the curt command comes from inside the house. I quickly obey, biting the inside of my mouth to keep from smiling at her invitation and I close the door from behind me. When I find her she's waiting for me at her kitchen table, her hands folded tightly in her lap. Just like with the door, I have another trained routine she expects of me; so I boil a kettle of water while watching her out of the corner of my eye. She's staring at my back so intently I can literally feel it; when the kettle whistles that it's ready I fumble with the package, and tea scatters all over the floor because my anxiety. Her gaze, or expression never wavers when I quickly look back and then bend down to sweep up the mess.

I feel like some kind of animal that's been marked for prey, like the ones I've seen on one of those Capitols nature channels.

"Sit…" She says it so suddenly, I drop the packets a second time. But I leave them where they've scatter back across the floor, and I sit across from her. Being alone with my mentor is different then being in public. The way she watches me when we're alone isn't as hard or calculated, she lets herself show a little emotion, mostly concern. Today none of that concern is there though, I can't tell what she's thinking. She's glaring, so I know I've done something wrong. Maybe I've embarrassed her by training today when I wasn't supposed to.

"I'm sorry…" I say slowly. Its the first thing I could think of saying. When she raises an eyebrow, I continue, "You told me not to train today. And I disobeyed… I'm sorry." I said, looking down at the table. Enobaria only sighs.

"Look at me Clove." She says with a hard edge. For a second I hesitate, afraid to see the disappointment that I'm sure is on her face. When she tells me a second time, I reluctantly obey.

She frowns, but its not a frown of disappointment. Her eyes have a soft look to them that I didn't think was possible, she looks more relaxed. "Clove, as much I distrust Mesh, she's right. What do you intend to do if you don't have a knife?"

"Then I'll steal one…"

"And if you can't?" She challenged. I wasn't sure where she was going with this, I had years to think about this didn't I? "Don't expect things to be handed to you so easily just because you've been trained. You cannot be arrogant. Brutus is stubborn and arrogant and he's taught Cato to be as well, but he can afford to be as arrogant as he pleases, because he has brute strength."

"I'm faster than Cato is." I argue.

"He's stronger and he knows how to use that strength. I saw that in your training." she states deflating my argument. She continues, "He's bigger than you Clove, and there will be others who are bigger than you. How do you plan on wining if that's the case?"

"I don't know…" I mumble, "I'll make an alliance or something." I say, I'm running out of answers. She chuckles at the thought.

"You will, will you? with who? Other Careers from Distinct 1? District 4? Or maybe one of the poorer Districts?" She asked. I just stared at her in confusion. Was she mocking me? But why? She was usually entirely serious.

When I don't give an answer, she leans forward and places her badly scarred hands on the table. She looks down at them silently and I followed her lead, tracing the faded lines of her scarred skin that makes her hands look as if they were bound tightly in frayed twine. I steal looks at her face as the silence drags on. Her eyes have taken on that distant look that I'd come to recognize as a sign that she was thinking. I want ask, but I don't because It must be something that really bothers her. Maybe she's thinking back to when she was in the Games.

"You were sloppy today." She finally says. I blink. I was sloppy?

"How?" I felt the quiver in my voice when I asked, and had to bite my tongue.

"You let Cato get the upper hand again."

"I didn't do it on purpose!" I snapped. I don't understand why she's so disappointed in me today. I tried. I honestly gave it all I had, but like she'd said Brutus's focus was strength, pure physical strength. Cato was built like a pillar and could throw a spear half a mile easy if he really wanted to, but that was really all he had. After training with him for so long, I knew where his weakness was: his confidence. Like his mentor, he was rash and arrogant which led to him into underestimating his opponents. Sure he beat me in the head-on fights we had in practice, but there wasn't going to be any of that in the Games. In an actual fight I knew I could beat him, Enobaria had taught me tactics and how to play my own strengths; Cato can't do a thing to me if he can't reach or hit me. As strong as he was, there was no way he could carry as many spears as I could knives, so his shots were limited. And if nothing else, Enobaria's endurance training would ensure that I outlasted him. If it ever came down to me and Cato, I would win easily.

Surely she knew that. So why the hell was she speaking to me like I was child? Because I lost a stupid sparring match that threw away every advantage I had?

"You're still too weak." she tells me calmly.

Suddenly it hits me, she doesn't think I could win. She's abandoned any hope in me and I can't keep the despair from showing on my face. She stays quiet, looking me up and down. My mentor saw my weakness, she'd seen what that had done to me. She thinks I'm weak.

"No I'm not." I say so angrily, I can feel my teeth grinding.

"You are… Cato beat you. Maybe I should have taken him on as my student…"

"I tried. Enobaria…" I say, feeling the anger bubbling inside my stomach. It hurts. of everyone, I never thought she'd betray me, that she'd lose faith in me.

"Try harder." she says.

I growled at how calm she is. "That's not fair!" I shout before I can stop myself. "Cato is bigger and I never beat him in hand to hand, no one ever does! I'm faster then he is! Why are you treating me like I've already lost to him? It's not fair!"

"The Games won't be fair Clove!" She snarls slamming her hands on the table. "They never are. Being quick will not be enough. What have I been teaching you? Do you not understand my methods? You can not afford to be weak. If you can't use brute strength, then you have to be smart. You have a bright mind Clove, you can think on your feet, you can improvise. Cato isn't an idiot, Brutus has taught him every fighting technique he knows and how to counter each of them! You're going to have to use tactics he's never seen." She says. I scoff, but I think about what she's said. Enobaria was certainly right, Cato knew how to fight, but he only knew what he'd been taught, he could improvise as much as a rock could curve in midair.

"Have you seen your father yet?" Enobaria then asks, recomposing herself and changing the subject. She motions to her empty cup.

"I saw him this morning, with his wife and her son." I say, getting up to finish preparing her tea. I don't call her, the woman my father is married to, my mother because she isn't; my mother had been lost giving birth to me. To me, that woman was just my father's latest bride, one of many over the years.

"Clove, you've trained hard. No one denies that you're our District's best female tribute. That's why I've decided you'll volunteer this year." Enobaria says as I place the cup of tea before her.

I silently gasp at the news. Volunteering isn't anything strange in District 2, it shows confidence, and confidence means more sponsors who'll try to keep you alive during the Games. But it wasn't my turn yet. District 2 had long ago decided that its Careers would be partnered from the beginning, and that they were not to enter the games until both were at least 18, because of that, Cato and I weren't up for another 3 years.

Apparently that's not the case this year. My mentor know best though, so I don't protest, I just nod, but knowing that I've been promised to take part in the coming Games have set something off inside me. There's a part of my mind that makes me want to scream and throw a tantrum, to plead and bargain, anything for an out. Being in the games means certain death, and not only was I going to be in them, I was going to OFFER myself to them. I have to block off these thoughts though, I'm a Career. This was what I was meant to do, and I'd long accepted it, even looked forward to it. That's what I tell myself to keep from breaking down into tears at least. Careers don't cry, and we certainly are not afraid of dieing.

"You're afraid." Enobaria states more than she asks. I smirk. I have to sell myself, convince her and everyone that I'm ready. I couldn't let them see me sobbing and pleading like I wanted to, that'd be shameful.

"No. I'm ready for this." I say, and she smiles the first kind smile she's given me all day.

Its then when the sirens go off, alerting us that we have an hour until the Reaping.

Enobaria sips her tea, but her hand wavers when she sets the cup back down. I can tell she's nervous too. She tells me to go find Cato, and I obey. I follow a crowd of people coming from the stone-processors as they file into the center of the District. There are checkpoints where Peacekeepers or people from the Capitol sign everyone in to make sure no one skips the Reaping. It's a simple process, signing in, they line you up and take a little blood, comparing it to their list of everyone living in the District. Sometimes someone cries when they prick them and they get pulled out of line, but I don't think anything happens to them except that they've embarrassed themselves, their parents and trainers. Careers never cry though, you get a warning the first year you're able to stand by yourself but after that, no more. We're supposed to take the pain and smirk at the Peacekeepers, because they're just another challenge for us to overcome.

It didn't take me long to find Cato, he stands out so easily amongst the other Careers.

"Hey, sorry about earlier." He says looking down at me as I join him. "I didn't mean to hurt you."

I shrugged. "Whatever." I say, making myself sound bored and uninterested. "You got lucky."

"Sure I did." He says unconvinced, but he leaves it at that, a smug smile still on his face. He looks excited though. I roll my eyes, knowing he's watching, but he's convinced that I don't care.

I look around at the other Careers, I couldn't remember which pair's turn it was supposed to be, but I wondered if Enobaria had told them that it was my turn this year.

When the hour is up, everyone has gathered quickly, but we're forced to wait another half an hour until Lyme, another victor, finally take her place at the centre of the podium. She begin with the ceremonial speech that reminds us for the 74th time what everyone, except maybe the younger kids, already know. She recites to us the story of Panem and how it came to be. How it rose up from the ashes of an ancient place called North America, how it was destroyed by disasters of chaos, droughts, storms, fires that engulfed even the seas, and the brutal wars that followed. Lyme tells of how the ruins left by all this formed the Capitol, and divided Panem into thirteen Districts of peace and prosperity. Then she tells us of the Dark Days, the evil times where the Districts rose against the Capitol but were quickly put down, and how the leader of it all, District 13, was wiped from existence.

Everyone takes in what Lyme is saying, but no is really paying attention, except the new tributes. Its just part of the show, just an accepted process that will start the biggest event of every year in Panem. As Lyme nears the end of the speech, everyone's anxious. Several people shuffle in place when she gets to the part about how each District offers a male and female tribute for a battle to the death, and how there is only one survivor. Its a tradition that the Capitol's enforced to show us their generosity at not having wiped out our ancestors like they could have. By the end of Lyme's speech, everyone cheers for the kindness of the Capitol, like dogs trained to greet their masters at the door. Lyme then reads off the names of the past Victors from each Hunger Games and their home Districts, including herself, Brutus, and Enobaria. Both of whom take their stand on either side of Lyme. Everyone cheers at the prestige the three of them give our District, everyone except for me. I knew that Enobaria was only telling the truth as she saw it, but it still felt like she's abandoned me.

Finally Lyme says the words that everyone has been waiting for, and the response is deafening. "Happy Hungers Games everyone and may the odds ever be in your favor."

Everyone applauds and Enobaria takes the Podium when they bring out the bowls with the names of the tributes inside, one for male and one for female. She gives a second speech about how much honor it is to be chosen to represent the District, and that its our turn once again to be the victorious District. Through the crowd I manage to spot my father with his wife and her son. My father stood with his back straight and stiff, the model of a strong, middle aged man, his face as hard as the stone our District was famous for; I can't remember a time I've ever seen him really smile and mean it. Beside him, not even as tall as his shoulder, is his new wife: young, beautiful, just recently an adult, holding her son who only has a few years left until his first entry into the bowls they use for the Reaping. After, I don't know why, but I looked for Cato's parents; I found them a few rows behind my father. It was clear that Cato's looks come mostly from his father, both of them even had the same smug look as they waited for the speech to end. Cato's mother though, is a small woman, standing out from her husband and son. Her expression is neutral as she watches the proceedings, when anyone looks towards her she smiles but it's obviously strained even from where I am. I wonder if she knows, that Enobaria and I, may have single-handedly sealed her son's fate. I didn't want to hurt them, but Cato was my partner Career, that meant he'd have to die, because I wasn't going to lose.

Cato nudges me and I look up just in time to see Enobaria reaching down into the bowl, her eyes are not watching what she's doing, instead she's looking straight at me. I tense as she draws the name and unfolds the paper. She and I know that I'm going to volunteer regardless of the name she draws and she's telling me to be ready. There's a pause when she finally calls the name.

And It's mine.

Just as I'm about to foolishly shout out 'I volunteer' my own name reaches my ears and I pause. The people in front of me turn and stare, some enviously, others approvingly. But I only look past them to my mentor, she nods curtly. I can see the shock of the other female tributes, any one of them could have been chosen this year. I notice a girl whose 3 years older then me, I know because I've trained with her, but someone has their hand clamped over her mouth as she cries and stomps angrily.

"Come Clove…" Enobaria says, she stretches out her hand and beckons me with her fingers. I approach like a dog as I obey, plastering on a smug smile the best I can. Enobaria loudly introduces me to the District as if they'd never seen me before, leading me aside as Brutus takes the podium. He has a speech too, but it's about what we should want in an ideal male tribute, but there's no questioning that it's going to be Cato.

I find my father's face in the crowd again, his expression hasn't changed. It's still cold and hard, and he's actually glaring at me, like I've done something wrong. His wife has knelt down, shushing her son who's started crying at my name being called. He's causing a scene, so she hurriedly whispers to my father before carrying her him away.

I feel sick. I think I might pass out. But a firm hand holds me steady as I watch Brutus draw his tribute. I don't hear the name he calls, I only see Cato when he plows through the people in front of him and stands before the podium.

"I volunteer!" he bellows eagerly, drowning out any part of the name that's passed through his Mentor's lips, his voice overwhelming even the Capitol's voice amplifying technology. The crowd behind Cato erupts into applause and cheers as he stands next to me. He shakes my hand and turns to face them again. It all subsides except for one person, Lyme, who keeps clapping.

"Ladies and gentlemen of District 2, we have our tributes!" she almost screams into the amplifier as everyone erupts into applause again.

From then on everything is quick. Peacekeepers leads us away and I don't even have time to say goodbye to my father. No one gets the chance to say goodbye, they're taken straight from the stage to the crafts that takes them to a train bound for the preparation centers. The only form of contact we get is a letter of parting that we've prepared before each Reaping in case we're chosen. I hadn't written one this year, my letter had been the same for years and I'd just told Peacekeepers to keep my old one on hand; I'd written everything I wanted say on a piece of paper, and I'm not even sure my father has got it. On the craft, there's myself, Cato, our mentors, and Lyme, who acting as the representative escort for our District.

Several Capitol reporters try to interview us as we go by, but Brutus keeps them all back with angry snarls. They will have heard enough to twist his foul cursing and insults into enticing headlines. We're then shuttled off to the train, which takes off the instant the doors close behind us. The sudden speed of the train's take off takes me by surprise and knocks the breath out of me. I try to look professional, but I end up stumbling into a seat next to Lyme, who's some how remained in her seat and keeps staring at me.

"Have you ever been to the Capitol?" She asks, I look at her and shake my head. Traveling between the Districts is forbidden unless you're someone important on duty, but you had to be someone really special to be going to the Capitol except as a tribute. Not even my father has been to the Capitol and he's a head Peacekeeper. She just nods and she asks Cato the same question. I don't listen hear his answer though, because Enobaria has pulled me away to a separate part of the train.

"Try harder." She whispers, staring out the window. I blink, confused as to what in the hell she's talking about.

"What?" I ask just loud enough to be considered a whisper.

"Try harder. Make it look like you want to be here Clove." she tells me. I realize that I must still have some doubt showing in my expression. Composing myself, I smirk up at my mentor.

"Of course I want to be here." I hiss, "More than that, I'm going to show you that I'm the best, by coming home after I've killed Cato." I whisper to her confidently, and she smiles at me again, but this time I don't let my feelings show.

"Good Girl." she says, before she leaves me to join Brutus, Lyme and their conversations.

The journey to the Capitol takes less then a day; our train is already among the Capitol's high tech buildings before the sun even starts to cast its first shadows, not that it could be believed that night could ever come to a city with so many artificial lights. When we're dropped off, we find out that we're not even in the Capitol itself yet, just the outskirts. At the station there is another, fancier train that is waiting to receive all 24 tributes that will take us deeper into the city. When we board it, we find that each District has its own car, separate from the other parts of the train. Both Brutus and Enobaria give us strict instructions to not leave the car until told otherwise, and Brutus departs to his own devices. Enobaria stays with me as I explore what little there is to explore of the fancy train car until I'm bored, she then takes me to where I will be staying.

Cato and I are given separate chambers with our own facilities, including bedrooms, dressing areas, and even a private bathroom. Its one of the things I'm thankful for, not having to share a room with him. I take a moment to look around the room when Enobaria reminds me of how I'm supposed to be acting: that I'm supposed to prove to everyone that I wanted to be here, even if deep down, I didn't. Before she leaves, she tells me that dinners is an hour.

When she does leave, I strip down from my training clothes and take a hot shower, turning the handle for the water as hot as I can bear. The showerhead is loud, which means no one would hear when I cried, or see when the tears finally came. No one would ever know that I've thought about home, about my father, the only family I have, and I wonder if he's expecting me to come home. In all of 15 years he's never even called me by my name. Maybe if I won, he'd finally accept me and acknowledge my existence as his daughter. If by some freak chance I didn't win, then I'd be dead, and it will be as if a burden has been lifted from his shoulders, but losing is definitely not an option.

When I finish my shower, I dress in a red shirt and black shorts, the clock on the wall tells me I have fifteen minute before I'm supposed to head in for supper. I sit on the bed and brush my hair to present myself as a Victor. Out of the corner of my eyes I see a stack of letters on my table, they're the parting letters, collected from everyone who wanted to say anything to me: advice, congratulations, and final words. I wonder if my father had written one among them. The stack is tied together with a single, looped string, and it doesn't take me long to find the letter opener and cut, where I then look through the stack for my father's signature. It's in the middle of the stack, and when I see it I put it aside to be read last. I pick through some of the letters, they're the standard messages telling me to do the District proud and such. There's even one from Cato's mother; in it she talks about how proud she is of the woman I've become, and that as much as it pains her to admit, she hopes that I will be the one to come home. I pause at her letter, rereading it a second time. Why would she write this? Did she think Cato's arrogance would lead to his defeat too? Maybe she was hoping- no, I can't think too far into it. Cato's mother was too kind to be the sort of monster her son was, and there's no cruel intent behind her words.

There's also a letter my father's wife's son, Salem. Salem's only six, so I'm not surprised that his writing is horrible, most of the letter is a picture actually.

It's a group of people, 24 of them, and only one that is standing in the middle. Of all the letter's I'd read so far, this was probably the most sincere, no words, no double meanings, just a simple picture. It moves me more than I expect, but I know I can't show emotion, I was in the Capitol now, anyone could be watching.

By the time I've gone through all of the letters and reach for my father's, there's a knock at the door. It's Cato reminding me about dinner being ready soon and that I should be ready. I know this, Enobaria was very serious about being on time, she's always early to places and meetings, and as her student, I'm meant to be there even before she is. So there's no time for my father's letter yet, I leave it where it is and join Cato outside my room. I have to bite my tongue when I see him. He's dressed in a blue top that looks like it's meant for a woman and black jeans. He must have had the same idea to take a shower, because his hair is still wet and unkempt. He looks me over and grins.

"If you get lonely tonight, my room is just across the hall." He says, and I snort.

"What? Are you hoping I stab you in the night?"

"You wouldn't hurt me Clove, were partners." he says with a serious scowl.

"Unfortunately…" I say and press past him. I will not give him any satisfaction, or my attention. Not until the games have started. I follow the narrow corridors until it lets out into a room that is easily recognized as the dinning room. The walls are a polished panel and the table is set with expensive-looking dishes. The first thing I think of when I see them is how easy the little dishes would break against Cato's thick head. Both Brutus and Lyme are already there and talking, but when we enter they stop and Brutus shoves a dinner roll into his mouth. My mentor is no where in sight.

"Where Enobaria?" I ask.

"She'll be along shortly. Sit. Eat." Lyme says brightly, gesturing to the empty chairs left at the table.

When we sit, the servers begin bringing in the food in courses. The first was a thick and meaty stew or carrot soup, followed by barbeque ribs, lamb chops, salads, pastas, and foods I've never seen before. There are drinks of all different shape and colors, and when I choose one, its a neon blue drink that tastes strongly of apples. I don't touch the soups or course they bring out, but I see that Cato and Brutus are practically shoveling the food into their mouths. I wrinkled my nose at the sight of them.

"Aren't you hungry?" Lyme asks, staring at me as I nurse the drink. I'm starving, but I don't say anything and just nod "Then eat." she says and her voice tinkles as she laughs lightly. I shake my head.

"I'll wait for my mentor, Thank you." I say. Both her and Brutus then look at me. They both seem surprised. I don't see what it is, it's mine and Enobaria's routine. She had taught me that I'm never to eat without her if she's invited me to supper. This was a Capitol supper for the biggest event of the year, but she's still here and even if I still felt hurt, I won't disrespect her.

"You're brought up quiet well Clove." Lyme says softly. Brutus snorts.

"She's brought up like a pet!" he snarls and Cato laughs, spiting mash potatoes across the table. I don't really remember reaching for it, but I've suddenly found a steak knife and I'm twirling it in between my fingers.

"Even if that is true, she's at least has table manners. But the only animals I see, are you and your student…" Enobaria says as she comes in, she too wrinkles her nose at the way Cato and Brutus are stuffing their faces. "Tools separate us from animals...tools like a fork and napkins. Come Clove, we will dine in my room. Lyme will you join us?"

"Of course." Lyme says cheerfully and eagerly. I think she just wants to get away from the inhaling of foods and talking by the mouth full. And who would blame her?

Enobaria lead us into another compartment that is to be her chambers. A smaller version of supper has already been brought here, I think that maybe she had intended this all along. I know from experience, that she doesn't like eating in crowded places, and while 5 wasn't a crowd, Cato and Brutus we're two too many.

Back at District two, a feast is held to honor her birthday, and while everyone would be at the victors square, she would invite me to dine privately with her, occasionally with the addition of Lyme.

"Go ahead and eat Clove." She tells me. I take a seat and reach for some of the stew. It's one of the most delicious things I've ever had, and I show it as I spoon more of it into my mouth eagerly. Enobaria smiles as she picks a plate of salad, chatting aloud about the Reaping in other Districts.

"I'd like to see the recapping." she says. Lyme nods. She up in an instant and pressing buttons on the wall behind Enobaria. The wall before us starts projecting a series of recording from each District. The Capitol speech can be heard, the one that's always said before the Reaping in any District. The footage shows District 1, the wealthiest District that produces all of the Capitol's luxury goods. Because of their wealth, they can afford to have Careers, and pay off the Peacekeepers if needed. it's also expected that their tributes align themselves with Districts 2 and 4.

The first tribute from District 1 is a blond girl, she literally squeals and hugs the nearest person to her before she climbs onto the platform. The announcer introduces her as Glimmer.

I snorted. Glimmer, having a name like that would have been enough encouragement for slitting my own throat. I hoped that I would be the one to take her out. The male tribute is more composed, and he's a volunteer. He's so skinny that I'm certain Cato would snap him like a twig, but he's a Career so he must have some skill. According to the announcer, his name's Marvel.

After that it shows District 2, it show Enobaria calling my name, and when I join her on the podium. I'm glad when I see that I don't look as nervous as I felt when I approached the podium. Actually I look proud, even a bit smug. The screen then cuts to Cato, lunging forward as he volunteers. District 3 is nothing special, and District 4's male is a 13 year old who no one volunteers for; the girl is just another tribute. I'm not going to waste time on killing the ordinary tributes, so I pay attention to the tributes that look dangerous or tricky.

In District 5 there's a fox-faced girl with sleek red hair, and a boy much too tall for my liking from District 6. District 7 is easy to over look. And District's 8, 9, and 10 are laughable, the male tribute from 10 has a crippled foot. District 11 has a little girl that no one volunteers for, like the boy from 4, her partner is a towering monster that might rival Cato. It's clear that Enobaria was right, I was one of the smaller tributes, and if I couldn't handle Cato, then this handling this giant head on would be impossible.

When the recap has reached District 12, Brutus barges into the room and staggers unsteadily. Cato is with him, and It takes all of his strength in holding his mentor up.

"Twelve…" he slurs, "what a laughable District!" he laughs and Lyme sighs at Brutus's state, but Enobaria snorts her agreement with Brutus. Of all the Districts 12 had the least victors, and only one was currently living. Instead of the victors conducting their Reaping, they had a spokesperson from the Capitol, a woman who had been dressed in an gaudy pink outfit. When she announces their only victor, it's even more laughable as the man is so drunk he promptly falls over, spilling beer all over himself. Brutus laughs and mutters something about the man's name being Haymitch. The woman then draws the name from the bowl, and a little girl steps forward. Her name is Prim something, small, skinny, she will be no doubt an easy kill…There's a commotion on screen, and the girl doesn't get far before another, much older girl frantically runs forward to get to her, when she does, she yells something that not even Enobaria ever expected from District 12.

"_**I volunteer! I volunteer as tribute!"**_

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**Well there we have it. Chapter 1**

**I hope you like it, Please Rate and Review, Reviews make me a happy inspired writer. **

**Please forgive any Mistakes I may have made in writing this chapter. See you soon! **


	3. The Open Ceremonies

**I do not own The Hunger games or any of the characters. All rights belong to Suzanne Collins. I thank my friend Sam for being one of my Beta readers/writers she is always helping me in my writing. Thank you Sam!**

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"_**I volunteer! I volunteer as Tribute!" **_the girl from District 12 cries out. When she does; suddenly Brutus is spewing the rest of his drink in Lyme's direction.

"She volunteers?! No one volunteers from Twelve!" Brutus snarls, pointing a finger at the screen he's outraged at the thought, and I don't really understand why. Other Districts have had volunteers. District 1 has volunteer Tributes almost every year. What did it matter if District 12 had one?

The confusion must show on my face, because when I turn my attention back to Enobaria, I notice that she's dropped her gaze towards me. "Remember Clove," she begins lightly. "Being from a poorer District doesn't mean they're weak. District 12 may be a poor District, but they at least have a good reason for the things they do," she tells me. Lyme looks over at her for a moment, but Enobaria doesn't say anything more, and looks back to the screen instead. She taps a beat with her finger against the table in thought, before she asks, "What would make someone volunteer for something like the Hunger Games, Clove?"

It had been the same question she had asked me a week ago, during one of her training sessions. I hadn't known what to say then, and I don't think Enobaria had really wanted an answer, just for me to think about it. _**"For fame? Money? All of that depends on if you win the games, and that is never a sure thing. And proving loyalty to the Capitol is a pitiful reason. The Districts who encourage this kind of reasoning are the same."**_ She had told me. I remembered that her voice had held a hint of bitterness to it, and part of me had wanted to hide, because I was a career Tribute. Proving my loyalty to the capitol had been a lesson I'd been taught my entire life. And it was a lesson my mentor clearly disgusted. Worst, I didn't have a answer then, and I certainly didn't have clear one now.

"The volunteers from the poorer Districts, they only want the money to make their lives better. Isn't that the same as fame and fortune?" I said. My mentor scoffed at me. She gave me a look before continuing.

"Those Tributes often offer themselves to protect others, that was something I learned on my victory tour of the poorer Districts. Unlike the Careers, they volunteer to fill the spot if their loved ones have been so unlucky chosen. Loyalty to the Capitol is the last thing on their mind. There are times..." Enobaria paused, looking past me before continuing. "Times that I believe that living in one of those Districts would make one a better person. Better than living with the luxuries of our District, where people put themselves first, without the care of protecting one other," she says. I wonder if Enobaria might be rooting for this girl now, because she's done such a selfless thing, but when look her, she's void of any emotion. Lyme though, is watching the screen again, there's no question that she's impressed with the girl from 12, and Brutus is so red in the face I think his head might pop. He doesn't stop his angry grumbles and shows no sign of running out of breath. I have to get closer to the screen just to hear what they are saying. There's a delay in the ceremony and a commotion as the little girl who's had her life spared this year, holds onto her replacement and screams hysterically. Not the sort of thing people usually did when told they wouldn't be in the games.

Everything stops when a taller boy comes out of the crowd, he pulls the little girl off forcibly before carrying her back into the distance. This is a laughingstock as far as ceremonies go, and no doubt District 12 is an embarrassment of all Panem. But I'm interested and so is Enobaria.

The woman in her gaudy colored clothing holds out her hand and the girl Tribute from 12 takes it and is pulled up to the podium.

"Well bravo! Splendid!" the woman gushes. The sound of her voice is so high pitched it make my ears hurt, especially with her shrill Capitol Accent. "Now that is what I like to call The Hunger Games Spirit!" she says, quickly clapping her hands like an excited child. "What's your name?" she asks.

"Katniss Everdeen," the girl answers. She looks likes she's just volunteered to run to the market, instead of risking her life.

"I'll bet my buttons," the woman begins again. Lyme mumbles something about how dreadful Effie Trinket is, and I assume that that's the Capitol woman on screen. "I'll bet my buttons that that was your sister, wasn't it? Don't want her to steal all the glory do you?" the woman, Effie Trinket, has a jingle in her laugh, it's like a chime. And when she finished, I don't hear anything past the introductions because Brutus has somehow gotten louder.

"What game is Haymitch playing at?!" Brutus snarls, he takes a bottle of red liquid and hurls it against the wall, where it shatters and stains the ground with its contents.

"It doesn't matter, she's a nobody," Cato says dismissively. His attempt to calm his mentor is poor at best and Brutus spits on the ground. "She just a poor girl who won't make it past the bloodbath," Cato adds. I don't like their tone, but I nod. By the look of her, he's right. She not tall, way too thin for how tall she was, and looks too soft to even consider killing someone. She is in no means a threat.

It takes a minute, but Effie Trinket gets the ceremony going again and calls the male Tribute. I miss his name, but as he steps up to the platform I don't miss him, you almost couldn't. At his appearance, Cato is suddenly interested too. The boy is bigger than you would expect of someone living in the poorest area of the Seam. Broad shoulders and a solid from. He looks like a career, or to at least have had some training. He must have been carrying the coal or dug the deeper mines, I tell myself. 12 didn't have the resources to train anyone.

The second time their names are called, I still don't catch his over the noise Brutus is making. At some point, he and Lyme have started arguing about the girl Tribute from 12. And as the recap ends, Enobaria has to force them out, even Cato, while I clean up some of the mess Brutus made. She sighs and mumbles under her breath as she calls up the Reaping in 12 again.

"Curious…" she says, watching the girl named Katniss volunteer for the third time.

"What's curious?" I ask hesitantly, before I move towards her. "You don't think she's a Career do you?" Just hearing it out loud makes even me want to laugh at the thought. Enobaria does though, and she shakes her head.

"Of course not. She's thin, too thin to even be a coal miner no less. It's curious that she would volunteer though. Brutus is right, rarely anyone from Twelve volunteers, because they never win. At least… it's uncommon. That being the case… It would have to be for the little girl." Enobaria mumbles as she pauses the screen on the little girl.

"It's her sister," I say. "The one who volunteered."

"You caught that? Good." Enobaria remarks, she then turns to face me. "What do you think of the Tributes this year Clove?" she asks and I'm startled by her question. I pause as I think about the Tributes who stood out to me. The pair from 1, who are no doubt careers, the fox faced girl, the giant form 11, and of course the girl from 12 who'd volunteered for her sister. They've all caught my interest, and I have no idea what to think of them.

I shrug. I don't want her to know how I feel. "They're all laughable…" I say. Enobaria frowns and I have to rethink my words."I-I mean District 1 might be difficult, I bet Cato will want to make an alliance with them."

"I don't want you to put you're full trust in Cato," she says.

"Why not?" I ask. I'm confused. Wasn't that the point of training with him? To gain his trust? Cato and I were trained to be a team, and now she's telling me not to trust him?

"Sit," Enobaria tells me, she points at a chair, and I do so. I sit silently, waiting as she considers what words to say next. "As… your mentor, this is my advice in keeping _you_ alive."

I inwardly frown. I almost want to say, '_liar, you're expecting me to die in the arena…' _but instead I say, "I don't understand what you mean."

"You see Clove, after the open ceremonies all 24 of you will be training together for two weeks. During that time, I don't want you to show your talents to anyone but the Game Makers. I want you to seek out possible allies, not Cato and not the two from 1," she says, motioning to her empty glass. Taking her cue, I open the bottle she'd been eyeing and fill a glass with the orange liquid inside.

"Cato and I are supposed to be a team though." I protest, I can believe that I was actually defending the idea of working with Cato.

"Brutus will have Cato thinking you're a liability that must be severed. If not during the bloodbath, it would only be a matter of time until he tries to kill you. His obvious strength will have District 1 eating out of his hands," she says simply and I slowly nod. Enobaria smiles at me, and for a moment it's like she's back to caring for me, but her smile soon fades and she has that distant on her face again. I look down at the table, and wait until she ready to speak when I notice a steak knife from the corner of my eyes; It's beautiful, large blade, carvings on the handle and extremely sharp. Carefully, I take and slide it off of the table and into my lap, folding it under my shirt so that I don't mistakenly cut myself. It's lucky she doesn't notice, or if she did, she doesn't care.

"May I be excused…" I ask. She gives me a brief yet distant nod, I take it as her permission to go back to my room with the knife concealed.

When I pass though the dining room, Lyme and Brutus are still arguing, so neither of them notice when I silently slip past them and down the corridor towards my room. When I reach my door, I see Cato's unmistakable form standing outside of it. He has an amused smirk on his face as I approach, that's when I notice that he's been in side my room and he's reading the letters I'd left inside.

The anger bubble up inside me as he keeps reading, ignoring my presence. So without warning, I pull out the knife and throw it, where it wedges between the door panels an inch from his head. I purposely missed. He's un-phased by it and finally smirks at me. I'm about to charge at him, when suddenly I feel a sharp pull on my arm and I'm forcibly turned to face Brutus, who has a cruel snarl on his face.

"That's a sharp object you have there girly." He slurs. Behind him, I see Lyme coming down the corridor. "You might hurt someone." he says, breathing a bitter smell into my face. I sneer, holding my breath. I'm not going to show him anything but contempt; I'm never supposed to show fear or pain, not even to a mentor.

"Then he should stay out of my room." I bite back. Brutus tightens his grip, and Lyme has to pry his hand off. It isn't until I stumble that I realize he'd held me a good inch or two off the ground. I glower and look briefly at where he's grabbed me, by morning I'll be bruised. I don't wait for Lyme or anyone else to say anything when I brush past Cato. Just as I do, I yank the knife out from the wall, purposely slicing the air next to Cato's throat. He has a brief flicker of surprise on his face when I don't pull back until the last possible moment. Grabbing the letters from his grasp, I lock the door behind me when I enter my room and I lean heavily against the door with a silent curse.

"Stupid Clove… I'll be lucky if he doesn't strangle me in my sleep." I mumble to myself. Whose to stop him if her were break down door? Of course even Brutus isn't that stupid. If anything he'll have Cato strangle me on national television just for his amusement. I'll have to remember to try and win him over somehow. for now, I'm tired. I throw the letters inside a dresser that I find has a lock, and lock them. I'm too tired to read them now and all I want is to sleep. Finding a nightgown among the Capitol-provided clothing, I change into it and climb into bed. The sheets they provide us are the same as the ones in District 2, they warm almost instantly and I'm quickly put asleep.

When morning comes, a faint light peeks through the window. I'm woken from a dreamless sleep by Lyme, who kindly greets me with gentle whispers. I try to think for a moment of where I am, and I remember that I'm on the Tributes train.

"Come now Clove, we have schedules to keep," Lyme says in a gentle voice, as if to assure me that I'm safe. I realize that's she's being careful when I look down and see that I'm still wielding the knife from yesterday. She obviously remembers my mentor and what I've been taught. Lyme has me shower even though I don't need it, but she says presentation is important and insists. While I'm showering, she lays out a casual set of clothes for me: a black shirt and jeans that match. When I finish getting ready, she tells me that what I'm wearing won't matter when we get to the Capitol, as long as it's decent. Apparently I'll have a stylist who will decide all of that for me, including my hairstyle. So I just carelessly tie my hair up into a loose pony tail.

After I'm dressed she points me to the dinning room, and makes a point of telling me to behave. She tell me that Brutus has a hangover so I'm not to throw any knives. I nod as I walk past her, but I don't make any promises.

When I enter the dining car, my first instinct is to look for Enobaria, who comes in just as I do. Cato is already seated and talking to his mentor, who looks up as I enter to give me a glare. Neither of them have changed from the previous night. In fact they've already begun stuffing their mouths.

Enobaria takes a seat as far as she can from Brutus and holds out her hand to me. "Come eat with me Clove," she calls, waving me over.

The moment I slide into the seat across from her, I'm presented with more rich food that I'm in no mood for; Several different dishes of eggs and bacon, fried potatoes, and pancakes drowned with absurd amounts of syrup. I wrinkle my nose at the overpowering smell. Enobaria chuckles before sending the food away. She knows my tastes in food almost better than I do, so she asks for a simple tureen of fruit for me, which I pick at as I drink my morning orange juice.

Breakfast is quite, aside from the polite conversation Lyme shares with Enobaria. That is, until Cato opens his mouth.

"What's your advice for us to stay alive Enobaria?" he asks, taking large gulps of his drink. The way he asks is rude beyond belief, as if he were her equal or better. I want to cut his mouth off for being so bold. Enobaria doesn't answer though, and when I look up to see why, it's because she's staring at me, tapping her first two fingers against her head. To anyone else, it would look like she was thinking, but I know that she's reminding me to be smart about things, starting now if I wanted to have any hope to win.

"My advice is to keep each other alive," she finally says. Brutus snarls and Lyme nods with smile.

"Your supposed to give us advice to Brutus," I say to him. Right now I know I'm the last person he wants to help, especially after I threatened his prize Tribute last night. But he can't just openly abandon me, even he understands that. Instead, he leans back in his chair and chuckles as he thinks about it for a moment.

"Don't get killed," he says, breaking into loud laughter. Enobaria sighs. Cato laughs along with his mentor like always, but to me it sounds forced. And after his words of 'wisdom', Brutus tears back into his food and Cato follows suit. It's not long before the both of them begin turning green from overindulging, but neither one of them shows any will of slowing down. I smirk to at their stubbornness and I wonder which one's going to lose it first.

With in minutes, It turns out to be Cato who admits defeat. Greener then I've ever seen him, he eventually staggers to a stand, and moves over to lay on the one of the compartment couches. His stomach bulges and I'm almost certain it's to burst. I pop a grape into my mouth just to keep myself from laughing as he waddles by.

"Are you still on about that girl?" Lyme asks after the sound of noisy chewing stops. The grunt Brutus gives draws my attention back to him.

"12 Does not just volunteer," he growls, following it with a loud belch.

"It's known to happen," Lyme says back calmly. "I don't understand why you're so bothered by it. How do you feel about it Enobaria?" she asked my mentor, who has otherwise remained silent, lightly sipping from her morning tea.

"There's nothing to be concerned about. Or are you worried your Tribute will be killed by a coal miner's daughter?" she challenged. Brutus is up in an instant, though he stumbles and ends up with his face in his plate. He gurgles angrily before getting himself situated. An angry, incoherent mumble escapes his lips, and he reaches for my mentor across the table; until I wedge the kitchen knife just in front of his fingers. I glare back at him when he jerks his hand back and leers at me.

I consider throwing the knife for a moment; he isn't my mentor and I had no respect for him at all, but he and Enobaria were all I had for the games. But from the way he looks at me, I know I've crossed a line. I'm almost certain he's going to strike me for it, and I feel myself tense. But instead he laughs.

"Finally, something about you I like," he says. But Lyme is frowning. I'd completely disregarded her warning about behaving, so I could understand that, but Enobaria acts as though I've done nothing.

"Now that we know you can use a knife, what else can you do?" Brutus asks with a tone of seriousness when I pull the knife from the table. Before I can answer, the car goes black and there's sounds of a body hitting the floor. Cato curses. Aside from the few light that are still lit, it's like night has suddenly fallen, but that's impossible. I realize then that we must have gone though the tunnel that will lead us to the Capitol.

The train is quiet as we go through, and it's revealed that the tunnel is long. I begin to feel uneasy as it stretches on. I think about the mountain its cutting through. That same mountain which officially cut us off from the rest of the world. Away from our families, our trainers, our friends. Away from the comforts of the world we knew, just before we enter into the territory of the Capitol. The more I think about it, the more it feels like I'm going to start suffocating. We were trapped in a tiny, enclosed space, and there was five of us. Five people breathing together, six if you counted how heavy Brutus breathes. We'd expend our before long. The sense of agitation nearly turns to a full panic when feel someone hand on my shoulder, I flinch and my fingers tighten around my knife.

"it's alright… Clove," Enobaria says. The sound of her voice put me at ease, and finally, the darkness disappears just as suddenly as it appeared, flooding the compartment with light again.

"Its about time we arrived…" says Lyme softly, she peers out the window. "Isn't it just something?" she gushes. Cato and I run straight to the windows to see with our own eyes what we've seen on Television. The Capitol, center of Panem and ruling City of all Districts. Television doesn't capture how striking it really is.

The glistening buildings were all different hues of bright colors that towered high into the air, cars of odd shapes and sizes speed down the paved streets laid out between them. And the people, who are all very much like the that Effie Trinket woman from 12, all have their hair colored atrociously with pink, blue, orange, or any mixture of the three. The clothes they wear are bizarre, shaping their bodies in ways the body should never look. They all have designs painted on their faces, but the most obvious thing is that they have never missed a meal. The people of the Capitol are very large.

When we approach the station, they eagerly point and cheer as they recognize our train and who it carries. Their latest Tributes. Cato likes the attention, he smiles and waves as we pass. I don't like it, but I wave to them too, playing along and blowing a kiss here and there to show how much I liked being here. That I would please them. By the time we've completely pulled into the station, I'm fully disgusted with how people from the Capitol have enjoyed waiting for us to die. When I step away from the window, I hope that each of them gets to feel what it's like to lose their children, or better, to have to fight for their own lives. I doubt it'd ever happen though, the people of the Capitol were exempt from the Hunger Games.

The second we're off the train, everything picks up in speed and we're swarmed by people. The Peacekeepers have to literally beat some people out of the way as they lead us through the crowds, who are all trying to touch some part of us. Lyme is going on about our schedules, yelling so that she'll be heard. Our schedules starts with the meeting of our stylists, but I don't hear anything she says after that, and when a larger woman manages to barge her way through, shoving me aside because she's trying to touch Enobaria, Cato has to lift me onto his shoulders,before I consider giving the crazy Capitol woman a piece of my mind. Brutus forces a path through the crowd with the peacekeepers, while Lyme leads us into a large building with giant windows so clear you'd think nothing was there. The doors swing shut behind us as the crowd goes into another frenzy at seeing another train pulling into the station now behind us. How odd these people are. I can't help but wonder what it is they do all year long when the Games aren't in motion. I've never seen people act the way they do, and by the end of the game, I will never have too again, whether I survive or not.

Cato and I are separated from our mentors and we're left with Lyme, who leads us down a hall. Citizens press themselves to the windows, trying to get a look at us as we pass. Cato waves and flexes his arms for them, whipping them into another frenzy. Lyme chuckles at Cato's showiness, but she's watching me expectantly so I wave at them too. Just to amuse her.

The hall opens up into a larger room that Lyme calls the "Remake Center," where Cato and I are ushered into separate sections divided by curtains. Inside, some Capitol people strip me down a little too eagerly and start scrubbing my body with some type of gritty foam that leaves my skin tingling unpleasantly. While they do that, two more make sure my nails are filed into perfection and even go so far as to strip my body of any hair, except for on my head and my eyebrows, which they still strip thinly.

"You have such lovely skin," says the voice of one of my stylists. When I have enough freedom, I look up to see a tall man with blue hair and pink eyeliner standing behind the woman styling my hair, running his eyes over my body. He reaches over to a table of things just out of my reach, and grabs a tin of dark cream that he starts rubbing into my skin. The cream's cold but it gets warmer as he rubs. I don't reply to the compliment, instead I'm gripping the table as they rip more hair from my legs.

"I can't say the same for her hair!" huffs my hair stylist. She'd spent the last three hour 'fixing' my hair, treating it with soaps of all different scents and colors, and cutting and snipping here and there before shaking her head and starting again. I'm almost certain that my hair is at least an inch or two shorter. The woman is named Ayla, at least that's what the man calls her as he keeps applying the cream to my skin. The others stylists finish their tasks and excuse themselves, leaving me in the care of the man, who's apparently called Tahno, until there's only him and Ayla left.

When they finally finish, the two of them step back and admire my still-naked form. "She's perfect!" Ayla's squeals happily, she bounces in excitement, and her green hair shaped into some kind of animal bounces unevenly with her.

"Of course, we didn't have much to fix. Not like with that girl from District Twelve." says Tahno simply. His statement is almost immediately followed by someone's squeal.

"Excellent! Now you truly look human!" someone exclaims. There's another squeal, and I have to wonder if there's something wrong with the Capitol citizens. They all talked in high pitched voices and everything they say sounds like a question because of how they end their sentences. It's one of the most obnoxious things I've ever heard, and it's even worse when they laugh.

"Thank you," a sweet voice says from off to the side, and the mere sound of it makes my stomach flutter oddly. "We don't really have much of a reason to look nice in District 12." the voice says.

District 12? The girl who volunteered for her sister is in the same room as me?! I'm up as quickly as I can move, trying to look around the curtain that seals me off from the rest of the Tributes. But Tahno stops me.

"Ah ah!" he says, "You're not allowed to be seen by the other Tributes until the Ceremony tonight." he warns, again it sounded more like he was asking me if that was right. "Ayla call in Hayden. She's ready." he says. Ayla claps, and is off in and instant, the curtain fluttering behind her as she dashed away. I can see into the section beyond the curtain, where I think the District 12 Tribute is, but all I can make out for sure is that their dark hair is braided into a ponytail. Tahno watches me silently until Ayla returns with a white robe that they wrap around me before leading me into an all-white room. They leave me in the room alone, and I don't have a choice except to wait until someone comes back for me. There really isn't much besides a couple of seats and a mirror in here for me.

I step cautiously over to the mirror, and I can't believe the change. My skin is nearly glowing, and my hair is down curling around my neck and shoulders. It feels so soft I can't help the urge, and I run my fingers though it at least twice. I look like someone from the District 1. I hate it.

I'd rather have been covered in sweat and dirt from hours of training than be this weird girl that I saw, with skin literally shining with the light and hair that smells strongly like honey.

The door behind me opens again, and a different Capitol woman steps inside. She's younger, and much less outlandishly dressed and styled than her prep team. Instead of a bright unnatural color, she'd left her hair dark with red streaks through it. Aside from that, she was entirely normal. She wore a simple red and black eyeliner which really seemed to bring out the intensely of her green eyes. I assume this is Hayden, but she's not at all what I was expecting. I'd been prepared for an old grotesque person, but she couldn't have been older than twenty five. Not only that, she was absolutely beautiful, and looking at her made me nervous about my being naked under my robes

"Hello Clove," she says gently in the same tone Lyme used to wake me up this morning. "My Name is Hayden. I'll be your Stylist," she offers her hand to me and I don't say anything as I take it within mine to shake it. Her skin is soft to the touch, much softer than I was expecting, and I drop her hand in surprise.

She's unbothered by my reactions though. "Drop your robe," she tells me. And I do without a second thought, struggling with the feeling of embarrassment as she walks around me, scanning me from head to toe with her eyes. "Tahno is right. You have very lovely skin. And I'm glad to see that Ayla hasn't cut _too_ much of your hair… though she has used too much conditioner…" she says loudly, I'm not sure if it's to me or if she's just thinking out loud as she runs her fingers through my hair. "Tell me Clove…. What do you consider yourself?" she asks, tilting her my head towards her gently.

"I'm a survivor?" I question. And she smiles.

"You may robe yourself again," she says with one final glance, motioning that I should sit with her as she perches herself on one of the cushioned seats in the room. I quickly robe and take an empty seat. "Are you hungry?" she asks and I shake my head. She watches me for a moment before moving on. "Very well. Then lets talk about the Opening Ceremonies tonight. As you know. It's customary to dress in a way that reflects your District." she begins.

I nod as Hayden outlines what tonight will be like. For the Opening Ceremonies, each District is supposed to represent its industry. For District 1 this is Luxury, District 3 has Factories, District 11 had Agriculture. District 2, our main industry was originally Masonry, Mining and Stone Cutting, but over time Weaponry developed. I guessed that meant Cato and I would be dressed as; Blacksmiths, or maybe even Peacekeepers.

"So, I'll be what? A Blacksmith?" I ask, thinking that whatever it was, it'd still be better than District 12's costumes. This was where we would start trying to get Sponsors, and District 12 was famous for having costumes so uninspiring they actually drove Sponsors away.

"No, I have… something else in mind, my little survivor," she says. I guess my expression must show my confusion because she grins and puts her finger to her lips, like it was a big secret. And I can't help but wonder just who Lyme has placed my fate into.

It isn't until several hours later, when Cato and I are reunited at bottommost part of the Remake Center, that both of us are dressed in our Opening Ceremonies costumes. The sour look on his face when I see him again lets me know that he's about as happy with our clothing as I was. He and I are dressed in matching golden armor with slight difference between them. Hayden's design is a round metal cap that covers the top of my head with a pair of wings spread out and back on either side of my head, each individual feather etched out in detail. The next part of the costume is a body plate of thin gold with a V of golden feathers over my neck and chest, reaching down to just above my stomach in a cascade with the topmost feather layers at my neck. This same idea is the design of my golden skirt, which like the body plate, has feathers cascading to my knees. Cato is dressed the same, skirt included, so I have fun with that thought. Each of us has prop weapons to go with our outfits, but where I have just a golden dagger, he has a golden sword and shield. In short, Hayden has dressed us as Roman Gods ready for battle.

"I'll gut your stylist if you slit the throat on mine." Cato grunts through gritted teeth. I hadn't been so sure about my costume as Hayden had dressed me, but I could definitely see the image working for Cato. Even being mopey like he was now, he still stood tall and powerful, his broad stature was the image of a Roman god ready for battle, with no intention of showing mercy. I'm pretty sure all the crowd will see with me was a pitiful girl with a knife, trying to look like a god.

"Don't be a baby," I tell him. Only because I'm amused with the mood this has put him in, and more embarrassingly, the skirt that it's put him in. Though I don't say anything outright about it, I adjust mine obviously, and I can tell he gets the picture.

"You're Perfect." Hayden says as she walks around us for a last minute inspection, "warriors, survivors. Show them that you are those. Show them the ferocious warriors they want," she says, winking at me as she's satisfied with the last-minute costume check.

"Still better then District 1..." Brutus murmurs as he and Enobaria finally decide to make an appearance. I look over and see that he's right. District's 1 Tributes are dressed as some atrocious pink birds and I counted myself actually lucky for only having the few feathers I have.

"What do you think?" Hayden asks Enobaria, who's staring down at me.

"You've made her Perfect," she murmurs. I want to smile, but I don't.

"I'm the perfect monster," I say.

"You're a warrior, Clove." Enobaria says. She holds my face between her hands, "Fearless. And that's what I want you to show. Do not smile. Do not wave. These people are beneath you, and you will give them no attention. I don't care what Cato does. If he falls off the carriage or strips of his armor… show them you do not care. You're here to fight, and they're lucky to get to see you do it. Show me the determined warrior you are Clove." she says, no, orders. I nod, because I will obey.

When the opening music begins, Enobaria pats my cheeks and walks away... she's saying something else as she goes, but the blasting anthem drowns out whatever it is. Cato and I climb onto the golden chariot that will be pulled by pitch-black horses with wings, to symbolize unbridled power.

Ahead of us, District 1 is already entering the arena and their horses match their costume in outlandishness, snow white and coated with silver spray paint. I can't even start to imagine what those jokes are meant to stand for. Slowly, they ride out in their jeweled coated carriage, sparkling and decorated with all the luxury items the Capitol people crave. The crowd roars even before the carriage has fully left the center. There isn't any doubt that District's 1 Tributes, will have the most sponsors. They always do. Once they've pulled far enough out, Cato and I take our place to follow them.

"_Do not smile. Do not wave. These people are beneath me, I will give them no attention, they aren't even worth my time…" _I repeatedly tell myself as Cato and I are escorted from the remake center and into the crowded Capitol street.

The crowd, still wild from District 1, cries out again as they see us, voicing their excitement. I stare straight ahead when they announce my name, I don't smile, or let my lips form into anything close to even a smirk as I stand steady as a statue, and stare coldly at the crowd. Cato does the exact opposite. He does everything he can think of to bring the Capitols attention to him, yelling back at the crowd and beating his fist against his chest and the crowd goes wild. The people of the Capitol, mostly women, start throwing roses at us when we've gone farther out into the street. I catch one by reflex when it comes too close, but I don't drop my mask. I turn the delicate flower between my fingers once and then correct my mistake by crushing it in my hand and throwing it behind me without a second glance. For what ever reason my attitude actually has them swooning, and when I decide to look into the crowed, I make sure my glare is deadly.

The ride lasts no more then twenty minutes, ending with us entering the city's circle where we're no longer the sole attraction. District 1 is already waiting for us there, and as we're nearing the end, the far away cheers of the crowd start up again for the next District to start their parade. The large television screens installed around the circle provide us the view of the other Districts as they come through.

The Tributes of District 3 are dressed as Technicians, District 4 are clad in Fishnets and Pearls, and 5 is dressed to represent Electricity and Power. District 6 Tributes stand out as they come down the line with their horses armored to look like forms of transportation. 7, 8 and 9 are too poorly done to make any kind of impression, even on the hyped up crowd, who only seem to give courtesy cheers. The tributes of 10 are farmers. By the looks of it, I couldn't tell if they had been wearing costumes, or just put on their best clothing from home, and District 11 looks to have put as much effort in their Agriculture theme as 10 had. But I never really expected anything past the first 6 Districts at this point. As District 11's carriage rolls closely into view, there are sudden screams of alarm and surprise in the far off distance, which turn into wild cheers soon after.

I look up at the television screens, and I can barely contain the gasp that tries to escape from my lips. The Tributes of District 12 are human torches, blazing bright and hot as their carriage sweeps through the street. All the screens are now fixed on the pair engulfed in fire, a living symbol of their Coal Industry.

"Katniss Katniss!" the crowed shrieks after them. The on fire smiles, blowing them kisses that they fall over themselves trying to catch. _**"I volunteer! I volunteer as Tribute!"**_ I hear her voice, I hear the bravery and the determination that allowed her to save her sister. _**"Thank you. we don't really have much of a reason to look nice in District 12." **_I hear the sweetness of her voice, and I think about how it made my stomach flutter. I see her now ablaze in flames, and she's dazzling, but I'm not fooled.

I'm disgusted.

The girl underneath is completely unremarkable. I've never seen someone so plain and ordinary. She might as well have not been there. The only reason she's so popular with the Capitol is because she volunteered herself for slaughter to keep her sister from it, moving the emotions of the Capitol. Otherwise, she was just another Tribute from a District no one cared about. I see her weakness though. The Capitol called it bravery but she had chosen to save another's life, a coward's choice. She could not cope with the loss of her sister, she would rather offer herself than deal with that. That was her weakness, the Capitol people are fools because they don't see this, but I do. A smirk crosses my lips as I keep watching the display.

I've decided, that I will be the one to kill District 12's star tribute, Katniss Everdeen. And I will show them just how ordinary she is.

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**There we have Chapter 2! Not very long I know, sorry I'm so tired lately, and one of my friends was in a terrible accident so I've been upset and highly unmotivated…. but I did try and I hope this chapter is to your liking. I promise the next chapter will be longer and have more going on. Please Rate and Review, positive feedback might help my mood, of course it would who wouldn't be happy with positive feedback? Please forgive my mistake and errors I no doubt made in writing this. See ya soon! **


	4. Aftermath

**I do not own The Hunger games or any of the characters. All rights belong to Suzanne Collins. I thank my friend Sam for being one of my Beta readers/writers she is always helping me in my writing. Thank you Sam!**

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When District 12 completes the loop of chariots in the City Circle, their flames are extinguished, and the blare of the Anthem that plays over the speakers slowly starts to quiet. Soon after, we're brought to President Snows mansion. President Snow, a small thin-man with paper-white hair, offers us a warm welcome with talk of honor and sacrifice. He gives a speech of the origins of the Hunger Games, and how we are to be grateful to have been chosen. He tells us the Capitol has faith in us and that we will not disappoint him.

His speech makes me sick. If he has faith in us, then why is he so eager to have us fight to the death? What will the death of 23 people prove to the Capitol? What does it symbolic when one is left standing? Loyalty, honor? I understand a little more clearly when Enobaria told me that loyalty to the Capitol is foolish. After all, what loyalty do they have to us?

After President Snow finishes with his speech, the 24 of us are escorted into a building, where we depart from our carriages and we're reunited with our Mentors and prep team as soon as the doors are closed behind us. Cato and I are separated when Brutus slaps a hard hand on his back, and Enobaria's taken my face between her hands again. When our gaze meet, I'm almost surprised at the gentle look in her eyes. I've made her proud of me, and that thought alone warms my entire being.

"Good girl," she says softly. Hayden joins us at her side. Hayden smiles, kissing both of my cheeks, and I scowl at the motion. No ones ever kissed me before, and when she does my cheeks tingle oddly.

"You did wonderful," she tells me. "Nothing like your partner, but you'll get sponsors for sure, I'm most certain you will."

"This is, your second year, as districts 2 stylist?" Enobaria asks. Hayden nods. "You must be proud of your work. You're very talented.

"Thank you, but as beautiful as our little survivor was, I must admit that that Cinna has really proven himself his first year, and with such a spectacular performance of show," she says, staring over my head. I follow her gaze just in time to see District 12 enter, followed by a prep team who showers them with attention. At their appearance, many of the other Tributes are glaring, especially the girl from District 1 with the horrid name, Glimmer. The pair are clad in black and gold jumpsuits, which flicker faintly of flame based effects.

"I never would of thought of synthetic flames…" Hayden says softly, watching the man who is most likely the stylist for District 12, embrace the girl before him as another woman quickly makes sure to completely extinguish them both.

"Well done Katniss, the girl on fire," he says proudly. Brutus snorts his opinion of them while Cato and I watch. Despite the attention, fire girl doesn't seem the type whose used to being focused on. Actually, she looks uneasy and when her Tribute partner says something to her, she leans in and kisses him on the cheek. I frown at the sight, and I'm not really sure why. Beside me Cato shifts, and when I look I find that his stare has become more intense, and he starts blushing like an idiot.

Before I can mention it, Brutus swears under his breath. The man Brutus calls Haymitch Abernathy, enters the room with Effie Trinket, who is dressed in odd bright orange colors.

"I want her…and she'll be mine," Cato says, a smug look on his face as he licks his lips.

I snort. "Of all the 24 Tributes, you want the cow dressed in bright orange colors?" I wave him off, "She's all yours, I want Fire girl." I say, and like always, he's amused and un-phased by what I've said, but Brutus lets out a gruff laugh and many of the other Tributes turn to look at us. And then, for what ever reason, for a split second, Fire girl looks up and our gazes connects. The connections barely lasts a minute, broken only by her mentor when he's noticed her lack of focus, but its enough to make my stomach feel tight. He turns to see what has her eye, at first he fixes his stare on Cato, and it's not until I look away from her, that her mentor turns his gaze on me.

"Come Clove," Enobaria calls, I notice then that she stands a few feet away from me, and that I must of left her side.

"Coming…" I say and I obey without hesitation. I respond the way I've been trained too, and when I do, some of the other mentors watch and seem to take note. Their Tributes stare with wide eyes, maybe because they know my mentors reputation, the type of person she can be and therefore what kind of person I, her Tribute, her apprentice, must be. I haven't shown anything except for the fact that I'm completely bored with everything, so none of the Tributes have a clue of what I can do. Cato, on the other hand, has been going around with Brutus, being introduced as the victor's Roman god, boasting about his strengths, subtly reminding everyone that he will be killing them soon.

When Lyme makes a sudden appearance to compliment our costumes and our presentation, she goes right into telling Enobaria about potential sponsors. As one of the few people who travel from District 2 to the Capitol on a regularly known basis, Lyme knows all of the important sponsors. She can barely contain her excitement when she claims that Cato and I already have several eager sponsors, when suddenly Brutus shouts from across the room.

"Enobaria! Come meet the Tributes of District 12." he says brightly, waving her over. Enobaria and Lyme share a look before they drop their gaze to me.

"Would you like that Clove?" she asks me, to which I shake my head.

"No, what do I care for a pair of coal miners I'm going to be killing?" I say back just low enough for her to hear. She frowns, tilting my head up with her fingers. She taps hers with a free and I nod mine in understanding. Even if she's asked me, she still has the final say in anything I do, so I'm forced to agree. To play nice until the games. Apparently Lyme also understands. She beams so very brightly as she guides the both of us over. At the sight, I gain a new impression of her. All I really know about Lyme is that she was another a victor of my District. But she's so different from how Enobaria or Brutus are, and I couldn't help but wonder what she had been like when she volunteered for the games. What must of happened that has her this bright and bubbly, but still so guarded person.

The time to think is over, and we're led over to where District 12 is, where Brutus and Cato have already made themselves comfortable.

"Enobaria…." Twelve's mentor says slowly. His voice is slightly slurred and his clothing stinks of alcohol, except he doesn't even have any on hand. A moment passes and Enobaria makes the oddest sound I've ever heard.

She giggles.

"Haymitch Abernathy, and here I thought I wouldn't recognize you without a bottle in hand," she says and he chuckles with her lightly.

"Give me an hour darling, and I'll have one," he tells her. "And look at you. Pretty little thing aren't you," he compliments, but I don't miss the hint of sarcasm his voice hold. "What do they call you girl?"

"Clove," I answer.

"Pretty name for a pretty girl," Haymitch tells me, cupping my chin with his hand so that I'm forced to look into his gray eyes. My hand tightens around the dagger prop of my costume. It wouldn't kill him, but he will have wished it had once I've driven into his throat.

"Now, now Haymitch, lets not go frightening the poor girl!" She says cheerfully, and I scowl up at the district 12 mentor. Being frightened is the last thing on my mind. "And here we have, the girl of the hour." she continues, just a little too sweetly for my taste. "District's 12, the girl on fire." Fire girl gives a nervous smile but doesn't say anything as Enobaria examines her. "Such a pretty little thing… and such lovely skin… I could just… bite into it," she says, waiting a moment before laughing. She's played her clear threat off as a joke, and several people buy into it. Except this Haymitch. Instead he excuses himself and his Tributes, and Effie Trinket escorts them out of the room.

"Fire Girl…" I mumble lightly.

"I've seen enough." Enobaria says coldly, her 'friendly' demeanor has suddenly vanished. Lyme is quick, and catches on, saying goodbye to several other representatives before she escorts us to the Training Center, where we are to live and train until the games begin.

The Training Center is a tall tower, 13 floors, one for each District and the lobby at the bottom. Lyme leads us onto an elevator with a wall made of expensive crystals. It's hard not to marvel at the beauty of the elevator. I wonder about the lives the people of the Capitol must live, how odd it must be when Tributes marvel at their everyday items because we've never seen them before. How rich it must be. The only crystals I've ever seen are the ones my father has cased off inside his study, and here was an entire wall of them where people would only see it for a few moments at best. The Capitol's crystals were better too, my father's were fragile and misty, but these were stronger and clearer, capturing the light better than my father's ever could.

The elevator itself is standard enough, like the ones at school or in the training facilities. Lyme presses the crystal number of our District and the elevator takes us there in no time. The rides instant and the rush of it makes my stomach drop, but I push those feelings aside.

"Who did it?" Cato asks as soon as we step foot onto our floor. I look to find him grinning down at me.

"Who did what?" I say, pulling my hair free of Hayden's headband.

"The boy from 12. His face was bruised. Who do you think did it? Another Tribute?"

"That's against the rules," Lyme says simply. "Tributes aren't to have any confrontations before the games. The Tributes who do face severe punishment."

"Only if you're caught," says Brutus. "Looks like Haymitch might have gotten him self a fighter this year. Can't say much for the girl."

"He's big, that's for sure," Lyme murmurs. She scribbles something onto a pad of paper. "That Effie Trinket sure is… excited about her Tributes this year. Spouting nonsense about turning coal into pearls," she says. And I raise a brow. Coal doesn't turn into peals. Pearls turn in to shellfish, or oysters. Coal turns into diamonds. Or that's what my father's previous wife believed. Someone from district 1 probably knows better. I've heard rumors that they use machines to turn the graphite they buy from our District into Diamonds.

Not that I really care.

Lyme rambles on and on about how Effie Trinket claims that her Tributes have risen above their own District's barbarianism and have strived to survive. But the way Lyme tells it sounds like nonsense to me.

"You don't think the boy from 12 got in a fight do you?" Cato asks me. I shrug, honestly not caring.

"Who knows," I say to him. "Considering how he was dressed it seems unlikely. You talked around with the other Tributes. Did anyone say anything?" I asked and he shook his head.

"No, but I didn't get around to 11. But I know who we should make an alliance with."

"Who?" I ask, but I already know the answer. District 2 always pairs with 1, that was a given. So I'm not surprised when he mentions that it's them he wants. I nod though. He doesn't know what Enobaria's told me about trusting him, but the truth of the matter is, when the games begin, he's all I have to rely on. So part of me questions what she's thinking. As much as I wanted to believe in my mentor, this sudden change of plan made no sense to me. After all Cato and I have grown up and trained together. He needed me, as much as I needed him. She must know this, but I can only assume she'll give me further instructions when I'm actually inside the arena.

Cato and I have separate rooms again, and when I'm taken to my quarters I gasp aloud at the sheer size of it. The room they give me is bigger than the entire training facility we have back at district 2 when we're trained privately, it's plush, made for comfort just like the train car. But I had no doubt that it was filled with advance technology underneath its interior. While I wanted nothing more then to tour the room, I ultimately settle for a shower before I do anything else. After I've stripped down I step into the shower, which is bigger and deeper then anything I've ever seen. It operates with a panel of buttons instead of a handle, with thousands of options that not only control the water pressure and temperature, but also the soaps, shampoos, conditioners, oils, and all kinds of different moisturizers for the skin. When I randomly press a button, I'm sprayed down with a yellow foam before I'm assaulted with the unpleasant sensation of being scrubbed down. The scrubbing last a minute or two before I'm spray completely down with hot water and I'm finished. I find that there aren't any towels when I'm done, instead there's just a mat that blows hot air at me from every direction until I'm completely dry. It's not unpleasant, just different. Its not just the shower either, there's a machine for everything anyone could ever need, even one to do my hair but I don't bother with it. I like brushing my hair.

And as I do, I finally take that tour of the room; I find that the closet is filled with clothes of all types that suit my style, and that throughout the room there are screens instead of windows. I can see any part of the capitol and its city with just the push of a button. If I wanted anything to eat, I only needed to speak into a small mouthpiece and it'd be delivered in a matter of seconds hot and ready to eat. So when I decide to sit on the bed, which is even more comfortable than the one I had on the train, I order a bowl of berries to snack on. I zoom In and out on Capitol people walking along pavements without a care in the world and I can hear them talking. it's all about the upcoming games and the slaughters they hope to see. I listen as a couple place bets between themselves, on whether it'll be district 1 or 2 that wins this year when there's a knock on my door. It's Cato calling me to dinner. I would skip it since I'm not really hungry, but Enobaria will be there and therefore I must be as well.

The both of us meet up with Hayden, another woman who I assume is Cato's stylist, and Lyme as we come down from our rooms. When we enter the dinning room, I'm relieved to find Enobaria isn't there yet, and neither is Brutus I notice. Lyme Introduces me to Cato's stylist, Stella, who is dressed simply like Hayden is. She's blond and I think that her hair might actually be a natural color. Our greeting is brief and I take my seat beside Cato tonight while Lyme engages into conversation with our stylists. I'm surprised when he doesn't start stuffing his face as soon as he's seated, but instead decides to wait until his mentor makes an appearance as I do. We're both offered wine by a young man dressed in white, and for a moment I think about accepting, but I decline quickly. Enobaria never lets me drink wine, she once told me it was because I was far too young for such a drink, and I didn't want to anger her now. Cato accepts it though. He sips at the red liquid, pulls a face as if it were bitter, and reaches for some honey to add to it. I roll my eyes before I notice a bowl of large berries at the center of the table, and I have to admit, that since we've left the train car, I've had a sort of addiction to the juicy little fruits.

"Go ahead and eat, Clove," Enobaria says when she and Brutus join us for dinner soon after. Without missing a beat, I eagerly take the fruit and pop several of the large berries into my mouth. The berries are sweet, and the juice fills my mouth the second I bite into them. I want to giggle at the sweetness of it, but that's childish so I don't, and before I realize it I've finished the entire bowl in a matter of minutes. Enobaria merely chuckles and waves to one of the server for another bowl. As I wait, I take in the spread of food that has been placed out in front of us; Casseroles, Mushroom soups, Tomatoes soups, bitter green beans and peas, salads with potatoes and macaroni, noodles of all kinds drowned in green or red sauces. There's even roast beef sliced too thin and pork so soft you could cut through it like it was butter. In the middle of it all was a tureen of fruit, a mountain of berries, all round in shapes and of all sizes, filled with sweet juices.

The servers, who are all dressed in white, move silently around our table, making sure the food platters and our drinks are full. I load my plate with various types of meats and salads with a side of fruit while Cato and I try to make small talk. It's mostly about the other Tributes and how they were presented at the Opening Ceremony, after which he tells me what he knows about the Tributes of District 1.

Apparently the girl Glimmer likes to talk about herself, a lot, and she's been trained in Archery, Knife-throwing, and Fencing. The boy from her District has been trained in spear usage. He goes onto tell me about the Districts he wants the most as possible allies, or threats we should eliminate as soon as possible. And eventually we talk about all the Districts except 12. By then, I've stopped eating because the rich food is making my stomach sick. Instead, I switch to casually snacking on the berries, listening as the conversation takes to District 12 and their opening performance.

"It wasn't real flames," says Hayden, who's tried three different explanations, none of which have convinced Lyme that synthetic flames exist. I look over to Cato to find him staring into his glass with a vacant expression, but when one of our servers places a cake before us, he goes back to his normal self and tries flirting with her. The girl is pretty enough, long hair tied into a ponytail, and eyes a color I'm sure only the Capitol could have given her. But when she doesn't react to his flirting he awkwardly manages to spill the rest of his wine all over her front.

"Leave the Avox alone Cato," Lyme scolds him, while Stella denies him any more drinks except for water and coffee.

"An Avox?" I ask curiously.

"Stupid people who've committed crimes against the Capitol," Brutus says offhandedly. He doesn't decline the offer of more wine even though his face has begun to flush and he spills onto the table.

I decide against asking him any questions and turn my gaze to Enobaria.

"Brutus is right. They've committed crimes and have been punished. You're not to talk to them do you understand? Unless its an order," she tells me. I nodded, but I wanted to know what kind of punishment this pretty girl was given. I look at her more closely, trying to imagine what kind of tortures the Capitol have put her through to have left her unscratched? What scars could possibly be hidden under her clothes? Which District is she originally from or is she from the Capitol itself? I wonder vaguely if she has a family, did the Capitol punish them along with her? Or is she set as an example of what they can do? She doesn't look any older then Cato, but apparently age is no exception for punishments.

"They've cut her tongue out, so she can't speak," Hayden solves the mystery for me, probably noticing my stares. I look at her and shrug, hiding the shock. I put my best effort into not caring about this Avox girl. Odds are I will never see her again.

We finish dinner in the sitting room, where we watch the televised showing of the Open Ceremony. I can't say that many of the other Districts make too much of an impression. Brutus, Enobaria and Lyme congratulate Hayden and Stella on how they presented Cato and I. And Enobaria seems pleased with my discarding of the rose I'd mistakenly caught. At the end, even though we all saw it in person, we're still taken aback by District 12's display. The rest of the program was centered around the girl on fire. We only stopped watching when Brutus kicks over a chair out of frustration at the display, to which Lyme switches the screen off and we talked about what was to come.

"Tomorrows your first day of training," Brutus begins, pausing to have the Avox girl pour him another drink that's a purple color. "Stick close together. And be there early." he says, Cato and I share a look before we both nod. Well before I nod, Cato somewhat flinches.

"Clove, you will meet me for breakfast, and we will discuss what we spoke about this morning," Enobaria says to me. I nod again. "Good, now get some rest."

"Goodnight," I mummer softly to both Enobaria and Hayden. Hayden smiles, and both she and Stella wish Cato and I a goodnight before the pair of us take out leave.

Cato and I walk together down the corridor to our rooms. Mostly I can't help but watch amused as he staggers about. "I thought drinking was supposed to be fun…" he mutters. "It's awful." I can't help the chuckle that escapes my lips as I shake my head. That's one thing about being around him, I can show emotion if I want to.

"Come on, lets get you to your room." I say, and a look of relief washes over his face after he nearly misses the doorway for the 3rd time. By the time we reach his room, he leans up against the doorframe mumbling things about "never again." and "worst experience of his life." I wanted to tease him but I bit my tongue, I felt a little sympathy for him. He gives me a lopsided grin when I finally get his door open and get him inside. I leave him in the care of an boy Avox I order to the room, but before I'm able to leave, he reaches out and catches my arm.

"Stay a while," he mumbles.

"I'm tired Cato…" I say, but it's a complete lie. I'm feeling too anxious to sleep. I want tomorrow to come sooner, I want to see the other Tributes. Do what Enobaria has told me to do before Cato decides who he's going to pick off first. I want to see Fire Girl again.

No not Fire Girl, I want to see what she can do.

"Do you think they'd cut out tongues out for being Careers?" he asks. The questions is so odd that I'm not even sure how to answer it. So I shrugged.

"I don't know. I doubt it," I say. "How do you think training will go tomorrow?" Thanks to him, I already knew what the girl Glimmer could do, though I doubted she was better then me when it came to knife-throwing.

"Who knows…" he yawns, shielding his eyes with his arms. "Come lay with me Clove, like we used to," he said. I rolled my eyes. It had only been once, when we had been younger, but one day after training I had fallen asleep because I was tired, and when I woke up I was with Cato. Ever since that day he always brings it up.

"Still hoping I'll stab you in your sleep," I say, but my threat falls of deaf ears when he snores. I ignore the Avox when he starts to undress him and leave. I slowly make my way down the corridor until I reach the door to my room, but the sound of footsteps from behind make me stop. I don't hesitate and when I turn, I shove an Avox, the Avox girl from dinner, against the wall. She looks at me with fear and confusion on her face, but I don't relax my hold until I'm sure.

"Don't sneak up on me," I growl. For whatever reason her fearful gaze fills me with a sense of guilt. She nods her head quickly and I release her. "What do you want?" I ask, before I remember that this girl has no way of answering me. What she does, is that she points to herself, to me, then to my door. I put two and two together, realizing that she's meant to service me, but I really don't want that right now. "I'm tired." I say to her. She nods, pointing to herself and then my room again. I guess she means to say that she has a job to do inside.

I'm not going to be the cause of this girl's next punishment, so I let her inside. When I do; she goes straight to cleaning the pile of clothes I'd left on the floor before my shower, before tidying up the bathroom and the bowls from my earlier snacking. Despite my previous reluctance, I find her silent company a little comforting as she moves around slowly, making sure not to be in my way.

"Do you, Avox girl, have a name?" I ask after a little while. She's so startled by the sudden question, or maybe it's just the sound of my voice, that she jumps. Her eyes widen, maybe because I've talked to her and it wasn't an order, but she makes no move to respond in anyway. So I shrug. I pull out the small speaker and ask for a bowl of berries, a knife, and a small block of wood. The table in front of me slides open and a tray with everything I've asked for is there.

Taking the tray to my bedside table, I lay down and I start to carve out a shape with the woodblock while snacking on more berries. The Avox girl has gone back to her cleaning, and I don't try to ask her anything else. I think about tomorrow instead, about Fire Girl and how I can't wait to see her. She was mine, no mistake about it. Her throat was mine to slit and I was going to enjoy it.

* * *

**And there we have chapter 3. Another short chapter, I had intended it to be longer, but I am faced with writers block so I was forced to cut it short, terribly sorry. Anyway I hope you enjoyed this chapter, more of an after math of the Open Ceremonies and such. Please forgive the errors I made as always. Please rate and review. And I hope to see you real soon!**


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